I've posted some Monday Muses in anticipation that you might want to exercise your writing muscle

If you haven't time for a full muse, then how about 6 Words? It's an extra challenge I've set up in the Writing Room as we don't have any comps or opportutnites (though please feel free to add...) Give it a whirl.

The 2018 Writing Goals forum is open to recieve your plans. However big or small, let us know where you are heading

Alyson ended the year warming the Bragging Stool with her great story on Horror Scribes. Well done!

Firstly, my apologies for being so absent recently. This has been largely due to an intensive regime of physio for my new hip which has taken up a lot of my week. It is paying off and I am pretty much back to normal (whatever that is!) Three more weeks of physio and I will be running about like a ten-year-old!

Monday Muse Chris N has given us some very ‘Halloweeny’ topics along with a couple of great photos. I can almost hear the owls hooting along with the swish of broomsticks.

The Blog Will be written this week by Nicola and will give us plenty to think about, I’m sure.

The Bragging Stool Alyson won the Mags4Dorset competition – congratulations once again and great they were so prompt with the prize money!

I have scrolled through the Forums site and think this is the only brag this week so Alyson, please enjoy that comfy velvet cushion aloft! (and if I’ve left someone out, please let me know)

October Challenges There are plenty it seems. I counted ten, so no shortage of choice, my friends. Something for everyone.

WA Magazine. Jo has sent (by email) the final proof of Issue No 7 and it looks great. She is asking everyone to look through and get back to her if any problems are spotted. The magazine will be on the agenda for Sunday’s meeting.

The Formal Meeting is this Sunday 29th October at 4pm CET and Sue will be in the chair. Please ensure your apologies are in if you can’t attend.

The Poetry Project is this Friday October 27th at 3pm.

NaNoWriMo is around the corner …any takers this year?

I am leaving you with this quote from Anton Chekhov (following on the Halloween theme perhaps!)

The heat has dropped from 40° to 30° in my part of southern France…for the moment. Can no longer use heat exhaustion as an excuse not to write, although I think some of us have friends and family staying over the holiday period – a more valid procrastination. However, the site has remained active.

Muse: Our most recent member, Richard, will be supplying the Monday Muse this week.

Blog: For this we have to wait for the west coast of the US to wake up to give Maggie some time to post.

Bragging Stool: The usual suspects were published again on the AdHoc Fiction site: Angela, Crilly (front page!) and Chris N. And Sue for the 75th time! Congratulations to all of them. And I’m happy to have reached the final 20 in the Yeovil Short Story Contest, nervously awaiting the shortlist.

August Challenges & Opportunities: Crilly has already posted a flash fiction piece for comments, so if you haven’t already done so, take a look. But be quick as she may want to send it off soon. There are lots of ideas for competitions in the forum as well, to get you motivated.

Poetry Project: This is up and running and Sue has posted the most recent poem on the subject of ‘home’ and I’m sure would appreciate the company of other poets.

Works in Progress: Vanessa started an interesting discussion, seeking advice on her planned publication of an anthology of her best short stories. Worth a look as I imagine she’s still open to suggestions.